Rell's Humorously Encapsulates Her Final Year

CROMWELL — Gov. M. Jodi Rell now knows exactly what she should have buried in the state's time capsule a couple of weeks ago, or so she told a sell-out crowd in her final tongue-in-cheek speech to a local chamber of commerce.

"Let's start with my BlackBerry. After Jan. 5, never do I want to hear another beep, tweet, ring or ding,'' Rell told the crowd of more than 800 people. "And as long as we're talking about electronic devices, how about the secretary of the state's calculator?''

The crowd burst into laughter, and Rell eventually looked down the long dais to see the last person seated at the end: Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz. Rell leaned forward for a clear view and waved to Bysiewicz, who stood and waved to the crowd.

Rell was referring to the numerous problems with the vote-counting in this fall's race for governor, which Democrat Dan Malloy won by one-half of 1 percentage point in the closest gubernatorial election in more than 50 years.

Rell, who has only three weeks to go in her term, was following an annual tradition at the breakfast of the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce in a Cromwell hotel ballroom, where governors have been entertaining the crowd for years.

Others have tried Christmas poems. Rell has traditionally offered a list of presents delivered, good-naturedly to some of the state's top officials, who are often seated on the dais. The tradition has become a must-attend event that brings out business executives, legislators, first selectmen and state officials.

This year, Rell presented the jocular list for the time capsule, which was buried Nov. 30 outside the governor's mansion in Hartford's West End to commemorate the state's 375th anniversary. It will be opened in 25 years.

"We should also add a spare bag of Bridgeport ballots. That way we'll always know where they are,'' Rell said as the crowd laughed. "As for our newly elected U.S. senator — and outgoing attorney general, who leaves behind 36,000 incomplete lawsuits and investigations — we'll bury a copy of his latest book, 'Sue First, and Ask Questions Later.' ''

The time capsule should also have "any plane tickets issued to Randy Edsall for job interviews out of state,'' said Rell, referring to the University of Connecticut football coach, who had been mentioned for the now-filled head coaching job at the University of Miami.

Rell also took a shot at Michael Hogan, former UConn president, who left after three brief three years there.

"UConn was also the home of an infamous former president,'' Rell told the crowd. "And I think we can find room in the time capsule for all the cardboard cutouts — and ego — of Mike Hogan.''

Concerning women's basketball, Rell said, "Let's also bury the hatchet for Pat Summitt — since she can't seem to manage it on her own.''

Summit, the highly successful coach of the former national champion University of Tennessee team, has been involved in an ongoing public clash with Geno Auriemma, the UConn women's coach.

Rell said her own silk scarves should be tossed into the time capsule, and she extended that to green ties — although she never mentioned that Malloy consistently wore green ties during the election campaign. Malloy was not in attendance.